about. >> two families in baltimore are devastated, after the man accused of killing their daughters is acquitted in the accident. mike hellgren has reaction from the victims' heartbroken parents. >> reporter: the victims' families was in so much pain. you could hear the mother of one of the victims wailing as she heard the verdict in the courthouse. jurors told us, the prosecution simply did not prove their case. >> get the camera out of my face, please! >> reporter: loved ones of two teenagers killed in a hit-and- run, exploded with outrage, after a jury found rubin dunne, the man accused of hitting them and leaving them to die on martin luther king jr. boulevard last june not guilty. >> i am okay. because god does not like ugly. and he will pay when the good lord questions him for his actions. >> he understands what happens in this case. he feels for that family, too. but to take the blame for something he department do. -- didn't do. that's not right.

>> reporter: police stopped the car about an hour after the hit- and had run -- hit-and-run. prosecutors argued he switched sweets with kendra miles. miles made a deal with a prosecutor, in exchange for no jail time, for her testimony pointing the finger at dunne. >> we felt that was the best way to get to the most culpable person. >> i called out mr. bernstein early on in this case about his decision and how to prosecute. he had one of the finest prosecutors around trying this case. but it was his decision to put this case on in the manner that he did. >> reporter: jurors said proof beyond a reasonable doubt simply was not there. >> we didn't have enough evidence to prove that he was driving. >> was it emotionally hard for you? >> it was very emotionally hard for us. yes. >> i know both of them. i wish i could bring them back. but it's over. the city in baltimore spoke.

>> reporter: and one of the victims in this case was thrown more than 100 feet from the accident and ended up dying in a gutter. reporting live at the mitchell courthouse, mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. >> mike, thank you. coming up new tonight at 6:00, the victims' families reveal their opinion on the way prosecutors handle the case. we have break news right -- breaking news right now. police arrest a man in connection with a death of a 13- year-old. martinez armstrong is charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon. detectives say his rifle was used to kill 13-year-old monae turnage. police say armstrong was a relative of one of the teenagers who shot turnage. her body was found hidden in an alley in east baltimore. a judge faces terrorism charges. gigi barnett has more on what happened in federal court. >> reporter: well, the laurel native pleaded not guilty to all charges. prosecutors accuse craig baxom of trying to provide support to a terrorist organization in

somalia. they believe he traveled to somalia in december with the intention of joining a group called alshabab. he was stopped in kenya and questioned by the fbi there. he now faces up to 15 years this prison if he is convicted. vic, back to you. >> gigi, thank you. baxom joined the army in 2007 and spent time in iraq and south korea. >> a warning to drivers on the jones falls expressway. prepare for major construction delays, starting tonight. wjz is live along the jfx. weijia jiang has more on the repair project that begins in less than two hours. hi, weijia. >> hi, kai. and hi to everybody. the city says this is emergency work and the lanes have to be shut down tonight to protect the public. but they admit, this is going to be rough on drivers who should expect bottlenecks and gridlocks. >> reporter: the jfx is the main artery in and out of baltimore. but soon it will be very clogged. >> if not enough people divert on monday, they'll change their

mind and do it on tuesday. >> reporter: transportation officials urged drivers to stay off i-83. at 7:00 p.m. friday, one lane in each direction will be shut down near 28th street, as crews fix crushed pipes underground. >> you need all the lanes you can get. so rush hour, it's going to be plain miserable. >> reporter: all week, downtown employers sent out messages to workers, don't be late. >> we just have to find a different route to work. >> reporter: so what's a driver to do? >> they should anticipate what i did 50 years ago, and drive through the city. >> reporter: that's what the department of transportation sellings, too, with one of these nine alternate routes. but traffic is not the only concern. >> it's just not fair. the police department is suffering even more. because they're going to have to take their time getting to us. >> taking the side streets and commuting off a different route is going to be like even more expensive on the gas mileage. >> reporter: the city says the best option is taking the light

rail or metro. cars come every eight to 10 minutes. >> if you can park and ride, park and ride. >> reporter: whatever you do, take a cue from this guy. >> i'm not touching anything. >> and there are degree to be extra traffic controls to help with congestion, which could last for up to two months. reporting live in northwest baltimore, weijia jiang, wjz eyewitness news. >> weijia, thank you. to see a map and the full list of alternate routes, log onto wjz.com. a mess on i-695 today, as a tractor-trailer spills diesel fuel today. traffic backed up for miles as crews worked to clean up the leaking fuel. all lanes are back open tonight. a drought watch is in effect for eastern maryland. the department of the environment is asking people who live on the eastern shore to conserve water. ground water levels are below normal, due to a lack of

rainfall, over the past few months. the dry weather also continues tonight here in the baltimore area. with sunny skies and no rain in sight right now. meteorologist tim williams and bob turk are tracking those dry conditions. let's start with bob. >> all right. take a look at the latest drought watch map as we just told you. west of the bay, not quite as dry. but as you can see, still either moderate or abnormally dry, anywhere west. however, a severe drought continues all over delaware and the entire eastern shore. doesn't look like it's going to change really much. it's going to be even warmer this weekend. continued dry weather, probably into at least tuesday of next week. take a look at temperatures. a beautiful, dry afternoon. 64 right now. 56 in ocean city. 55 in oakland. temperatures this afternoon, running a little bit warmer than yesterday. by 6 degrees here. 11 warmer in cumberland. and 13 degrees warmer in oakland. ocean city and pax river, stuck there, right there, about the

same temperatures they had yesterday. now, tim is in the outback. tim has a look at very warm temperatures headed our way, over the next three or four days. tim? >> unbelievable, bob. we talked about this high pressure in control, bringing up these nice, gorgeous conditions. that high is going to eventually slide down to the south and east. as it moves offshore, it is the clockwise flow around that is going to allow for very warm air. we're going to tap into warm air from the south. and it's just going to continue right on through the week the today's highs in the 60s. tomorrow's highs in the 70s. and we'll continue that pattern. we'll be in the 80s and near 90 degrees, heading into next week. it's unbelievable. bur we'll have detail -- but we'll have details with bob. under the ax, millions of dollars in state budget cuts take effect july 1st, unless the general assembly agrees to raise a plan on taxes. political reporter pat warren has the latest on maryland's so- called doomsday budget. >> that isthat's right.

he says he'll be meeting with house and senate leaders next week. that may include coming to an agreement on expanded gambling before they can discuss a plan to filling the budget hole. >> reporter: on sine die, compromise on a state income tax hike turned dicey. >> i'm fairly ambivalent when it comes to gambling. >> reporter: house and seantz agreed to -- senate agreed to a compromise. but they also agreed to expand casino gambling. >> we have five sites in our state now. should we have six? or is five enough? i don't know. >> there's a huge tourist destination. it is a money maker for the state of maryland. >> reporter: but the house didn't follow through. >> when an issue as historically contentious as gambling is inserted into the process as late as it was, it threw the whole deliberative process out of balance. >> reporter: expanded gambling

muddied the waters. and the budget drowned in it. >> we had the votes. maybe ma now we don't have the votes. guess what? bring it to the floor and we'll see what happens. never got to the floor. >> reporter: gambling died in the house. and the budget stayed in the senate. >> there's all these differences of opinion. but what we cannot do is allow the public good and the public interest to become a casualty of old fights and old wounds on the old chestnut of to what degree we should have gambling in the state of maryland. >> reporter: but obviously that old chestnut is still very much alive in maryland general assembly. and most likely will have to be settled before governor o'malley calls a special session to deal with $512 million in budget cuts. reporting live, i'm pat warren. back to you. >> okay, pat. thank you. the governor has said he wants to be sure there is a deal before he calls lawmakers back to anap annapolis.

maryland's top court will decide if the dream act will be on the ballot this fall. it was designed to provide college students -- provide discounts to them. supporters are challenging the referendum. the maryland court of appeals is now agreeing to hear the case in june. a baltimore county home was destroyed in a dramatic fire. three children in that timonium home owe their lives to a stranger. a man passing by saw smoke and took action. >> who knows? maybe they're home. >> reporter: chris owens, offering home energy tests, knocks on doors for a living. [ knocking ] >> reporter: but the one he banged on yesterday, changed lives. >> i could smell the smoke. and then -- and i saw it going up. >> reporter: just two doors down, a killer is gaining strength. >> i didn't know if anybody was home. ran around front. just started banging on the

door. and at the same time, pulled out my cell phone. got on 911. >> reporter: inside, three kids around 10 years old, who had just been told not to open the door to strangers. >> the kids opened up the door. >> right. >> and they were heading towards me. and as they were heading towards me, that's when the flames really exploded. >> yesterday's high windsasm amplified the damage. >> and the neighbor said it was 10 minutes. 10 minutes, the house was engulfed. >> reporter: the rebuilding has begun. enough time for some perspective to sink in. >> i- always heard of other people called heroes. i just go back to, i was supposed to be here. >> reporter: knocking on doors for a living. saving lives, with just one knock. in timonium, mike schuh, wjz eyewitness news. and amazingly, no one was injured in the fire. what a blessing he was there. >> very much, indeed, vic. you're right. still ahead at 5:00. will george zimmerman get out

of jail? why his attorney says he deserves to be set free until his trial. honestly, at that point, i did not feel bravery. i felt terror. it was a very scary moment. the mayor risked his life to save the day. how he rescued a neighbor from a burning home. taking a look inside a bullied child's life. the documentary, "bully ," opens in maryland. what viewers and educators had to say about it. i'm andrea fujii. that's just ahead on wjz eyewitness news. summer heat is coming our way. bob has more on what to expect for the weekend in the updated forecast. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

george zimmerman's lawyers, hoping to get his client out of jail, as he waits for trial. randall pinkston reports. people in sanford are calling for level heads as the case makes its way through the

justice system. >> reporter: florida ministers are asking for unity. now that george zimmerman is behind bars for shooting trayvon martin to death. >> people in the community feel as though the process of justice is working. reconciliation and healing is fostered out of an environment, where there is repentance and forgiveness. >> reporter: it could be months before zimmerman goes on trial. the 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer said he shot the unarmed teenager in self- defense. he has a bond hearing scheduled next friday. >> he deserves a bond because there are certainly questions about how this happened. and his legitimate defense is developed and presented. >> reporter: and a surprise status hearing, lawyers questioned whether the judge overseeing the second-degree murder case may have a conflict of interest. her husband works with an attorney who had contact with zimmerman. authorities are revealing new details about zimmerman's jail quarters where he is being held in isolation because of concerns about his safety. >> reporter: he's being held in

a 67-square-foot jail. he can't watch tv. but has access to the jail's commissary. this receipt shows he's already spent $87 on incidentals and playing cards. zimmerman is expected to plead not guilty when he is formally arraigned may 29th. >> zimmerman's attorney says he has not yet decided whether he will ask for a change of venue. if you're waiting for someone to get home there work, let's -- from work, let's check on the roads with kristy breslin at wjz traffic. it has been a nightmare today. northbound 95. we're still looking at a half han hour delay there, from keith avenue past the beltway. that's due to the earlier accident. and expect another 30 minutes as well, northbound harbor tunnel throughway. that's over from lombard street to 95. traveling on the top side inner loop. stop and go there from park heights avenue to providence road. another 25 minutes in that direction. and on the west side inner loop, sluggish there from frederick road to security

boulevard. no relief in sight for the outer loop as well. still slow there from 795 to baltimore national pike. and a couple of accidents out there. bel air road at forge road. north at charles, at west mount royal. and also woodburn avenue at york road. let's now take a live look, as you can see things, very, very slow there, at eastern avenue. and we'll take another live look, as you can see, things aren't in such great shape as well. 95 top of the fort mchenry tunnel. this traffic report is brought to you by medieval times. bring in your student id and get your ticket for only $29.95. you can get all of the details by dialing triple a, we joust. >> and a turkey wing. as wjz has been telling you, the weekend weather looks great. a perfect time to take some beautiful spring flowers in. ron matz reports, baltimore is now in full bloom in druid hill park. >> you can tiptoe through the tulips and see a whole lot more

at the rawlings conservatory this weekend. the annual spring flower show is restro. -- retro. it's back to the 60s and flower power. >> the power of the flower, which i don't think we can emphasize enough in these times. >> reporter: easter lilies will still be for sale. the highest in daffodils and mild winter, provide some of the vibrant colors. >> thing is, we're blooming out of sequence. some things that don't bloom until much later in the season started blooming early. and it was a little crazy. and i think everybody felt a little strange about it. >> reporter: there's more than flower flower power here at the show. how about some musical memories from the '60s? ♪ [ music ] >> a lot of people are really kind of going back in time when they see some of the albums we have hanging up. and they see the volkswagen beetle and everybody knows somebody or had a beetle. and they all had fun memories. >> reporter: from iron butterfly to bean bags, lava

lamps, too. baltimore is in bloom this weekend. . >> we've got all of these trials and tribulations and weird things going on. we have to remember to stop and smell the roses. >> reporter: ron matz, wjz eyewitness news. >> for information about this weekend's spring flowers show, at the rolands conservatory, log onto our website, wjz.com. >> seeing those plants brought back memories, huh? >> you bet. >> and some things he can't remember. >> that vw sold for $1695. i remember. >> oh, yeah. let's take a look. beautiful weekend really. 64 degrees. that's now what it costs you to fill it up. 64 degrees now. humidity very low. 24%. west/northwest winds at 8. the barometer continues to rise. come back and take a look at a very nice, warm summer like weekend after this. what makes the sleep number store different?

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there's folks out there, enjoying loch raven reservoir. >> yes. >> already. bob? >> maybe at the bottom of the reservoir. i don't think so.

it's been dry here. one thing you have to remember, last year was a very, very wet year. so lock raven, very full of water. it's just the ground water, the top layer is very, very dry. and the woodlands, leaves, sticks, twigs, are very, very dry now. because it just hasn't rained much in the last couple of weeks. once again, the fire danger, extremely high. there may be rain here. slight, slight chance late tomorrow night. a better chance coming tuesday night into wednesday. in the meantime, warm and dry conditions. take a look right now. beautiful, sunny afternoon. really comfortable. 64. 66 in washington. 65 now in cumberland. and the cool spots, right by the ocean. ocean city, 56. by the way, ocean weather temperature is now at 53 degrees. which for this time of year is kind of high, actually. 55 now in ocland. locally, temperatures -- oakland, locally, temperatures ranging from the 50 degree mark to the low to mid-60s everywhere else. a light, west winds.

winds are very light. tomorrow, they begin to turn more to the southwest. and that is going to bring in milder air. as that warm air comes in, probably see some clouds late tomorrow evening. maybe a shower. perhaps a brief thundershower across southern p.a. slight chance. then we get into very, very warm air. sunday and monday, we could get close to record-breaking temperatures. mid-80s, maybe 90 on monday. then, a front to the west will approach us. in fact, this front is going to cause all kinds of havoc, over portions of oklahoma, eastern kansas, western missouri, southwest iowa. and portions of nebraska. this whole region right now, saturday night, particularly late saturday night, into early sunday, a very high risk for very damaging storms, tornado activity, expected in this region. they've already been warned, these people, a day ahead of time. warm, moist air here. cold air coming in behind it. cold, dry air. a lot of spin in the

atmosphere. cold jet stream coming down from california. moving up that way. keeps us in the warm air here in the eastern half of the united states. until that front begins to move through in our region. that won't be until tuesday night, wednesday. maybe a shower with it. in the meantime, clear skies, really, really lovely weather all weekend long. go out and make some plans. nice weather all weekend. warming up. maybe a brief shower early sunday or late saturday night. but very warm, second and monday, as i said, could get close to records. winds on the bay, picking up. up to 25 knots. it will be out of the southwest generally. bay temp, half a degree warmer than yesterday, at 54 degrees. so tonight, beautiful night. around 40 degrees by morning. and that's just about smack dab normal. tomorrow, there we go. sunshine. and a few clouds coming in. maybe a shower by late tomorrow night, particularly north of the area. tomorrow's high, warming up to 73 degrees. >> okay. good deal. thanks, bob. still ahead at 5:00. north korea, under fire. over its attempted rocket

launch. new warnings. officer killed just days before his retirement. sacred relics? or tavern decorations? the controversy brewing at a baltimore bar. i'm gigi ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

5:30. 64 degrees and sunny. good evening. thank you for staying with wjz, eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. sacred? or decoration? that's the question surrounding a baltimore bar tonight. inside the tavern, are old catholic relics that are causing the owners to receive death threats. wjz is live. gigi barnett explains the controversy. gigi? >> well, hail mary's taverns opened its doors about seven years ago. and the owner said he never received any problems about his holy decorations, until a few weeks ago. >> ale mary's tavern in fells point may be the only place in baltimore where customers can enjoy resurrection beer in a chalice, eat a sinners and saints sandwich, and view catholic relics right on the bar. >> we've got a little tongue in

cheek going on. but we're not doing exorcisms or anything. >> that's what he is trying to tell a group of facebook protestors who launched a page, blasting the tavern. they want him to return the relics. >> these aren't holy relics. i didn't run down and steal these. >> reporter: in fact, much of what is inside the pub, the chalice, crucifixes, and even the nun statues were all given to him by customers. but now, some of the recent e- mails are becoming violent and threatening his business. this one says, stay awake, you know not the time or the day. >> these are empty threats. you're really going to come here from in minnesota or florida, to get in my face over something this petty? i'm not shoving my religion in anybody's face. but apparently it's okay for them to shove it in mine. >> now, a counterfacebook beige, supporting ale mary's is called 500,000 strong,

supporting free speech and ale mary's. back to you, kai. >> a spokesperson for the baltimore arch disis says they -- arch archdiocese says they have received several phone calls. and older relics make them suitable for daily use. police say derek glad ham was trying to flee, following the beauty supply store. lanham was treated for minor juries -- injuries and is being charged with robbery and a number of other offenses. police engage a deadly shoot jowvment police say the suspect opened fire, as officers approached his home to serve a warrant. the town's police chief, michael maloney, was shot just just eight days before he was scheduled to retire. protestors are back in the streets of syria, thanks to cease-fire backed by the united

nations. ♪ [ music ] online video shows thousands gathering and declaring a revolution for all syrians. many world leaders doubt the government will hold assad to the truth. activists say six people were killed today. and the government is keeping its troops at the ready. the united nations is condemning a failed rocket launch. the u.s. is warning there will be serious repercussions for what many are calling a covert missile test. >> reporter: the united nations security council is meeting behind closed doors to decide what actions to take against north korea, after its failed rocket launch. >> members of the security council deplored this launch, which is in violation of security council resolutions 17, 18, and 1874. >> reporter: north korean officials launched the long- range rocket early friday to commemorate the birthday of the

country's founder, kim il sung. but the rocket survived only a hundred seconds, breaking up over the yellow sea. north korea says it was attempting to send a satellite boor -- into orbit. but many in the international community believe the launch was actually a test of missile technology. experts say north korea could use the same type of rocket to strike the u.s. and other targets. >> the obama administration called the launch provoc tave and is -- provocative and is suspending its food aid program for north korea. >> we don't feel that we can frankly trust north korea, that this will end up in appropriate hands. >> reporter: while critics call it an embarrassing blow for kim jung un, many blew it off, saying their country can learn from mistakes. and their birthday celebration continued when officials unveiled enormous new statues of former leaders, kim jung il,

and kim ilsupg. this negotiate core -- north korean worker watched it with tears in her eyes, pledging to follow her country's leader. danielle nottingham, wjz eyewitness news. >> the u.s. navy and others in the area are searching for debris from the rocket. it may provide clues as to the extent of north korea's technology. newark, new jersey mayor is recovering from minor injuries after running into a building to save a woman's life. beerk said -- booker said he came home and saw his neighbor's home in flames. that's when he ran inside with a security detail and found a woman trapped in her bedroom. the mayor says he doesn't consider himself a hero. >> honestly, at that point, i didn't feel bravery, i felt terror. i couldn't find her. and i couldn't breathe. >> reporter: the mayor and his neighbor were both taken to the hospital and were later released. well, putting an end to

bullying, that's the goal to a documentary. andrea fujii explains, katie o'malley attended the premiere, hoping to spark a discussion. >> punch me, strangle me, take things from me. hit on me. >> the film "bullying" takes across the country to show what life is like for classmates who suffer bullying every day. some who even committed suicide. >> had his head shoved bointo a -- into a wall locker. >> reporter: and first lady katie o'malley, anti-bullying advocate, hosted a discussion. >> we have to be outraged. but we have to bring everybody into this discussion. >> reporter: viewers say the hour and a half film offers a glimpse inside millions of children's bullied lives. >> if someone touches you here, it brings tears to your eyes. just emotional, sentimental. >> reporter: film also examines

how some educators ignore bullying concerns. >> he's not safe on that bus. >> i've been on that bus. they are just as good as gold. >> reporter: the documentary's creators hope it will spark discussion and eventually change. >> we have to teach kids how to be assertive, which is different than being aggressive. >> reporter: bully is playing at several venues across the state, including here at the charles theater. in north baltimore, andrea fujii, wjz eyewitness news. baltimore. after much discussion, the documentary is rated pg-13. time for a quick look at some of the stories yule find in -- you'll find in tomorrow's edition of the baltimore sun. two prompted a broader discussion about bullying, especially cyber bullying. plants and shrubs, popular in the south, are the next big heat wave for local yards. cordish, baltimore's largest developer's big projects in philadelphia in san francisco. for these stories and more, read tomorrow's baltimore sun.

and remember to look for the updated forecast from wjz's first warning weather team. chicken leads to a love story in maryland. christina heist and matthew robinson are both fans of chick- fil-a. the two attended a grand opening for chick-fil-a, where they often get free coupons for meals. but after seeing each other, they now have more for each other! kept looking back the and -- back and forth. >> i got unlimited chicken and a wife at chick-fil-a. you can't beat. that. >> they have been eating chicken almost every meal. i think it was the lemonade that got them together. >> i think it was getting inside that tent that got them together. still to come on wjz eyewitness news. a life-change being experiment. how a radical experiment could help millions who suffer from parkinson's disease.

health warning, after a bat flies onto an airplane. wow. bob turk. first warning weather center. summer-like temps headed this way. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. here's today's report from wall street. ,,,, [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years with a two-year agreement.

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well, everything around here is clear, severe clear. and yes, very, very dry. once again, please be very careful with any lighted materials. cookouts, cigarettes, anything like that. can start a brush fire, which can get out of control. take a look at tomorrow's forecast. it's going to be a beautiful day. sunshine all morning into the afternoon. clouds by tomorrow night. there's a slight chance, particularly north of the area, of a widely scattered shower or thundershower. it's going to get up into the low 70s tomorrow. but tim has a look at that five- day forecast. and boy, you're not going to believe these temperatures. tim? >> really, i mean, we jump right into summer here in the next few days. bob talked about tomorrow. let's go into sunday, going up

to about 86 degrees sunday. chances of showers heading into the middle of the week. but look at that. 90 degrees monday. and dropping back to 82. and a chance of showers and maybe thundershowers on tuesday into wednesday. but these temperatures, taking us right into the next season. kind of forgetting about spring along the way. as we look at this, let's talk about our energy saver tip of the day. a water bottle in the toilet tank will displace enough water to save up to a gallon each use. or about 10 gallons a day, in a typical household. the average model uses about 3 to 7 gallons per flush. all you have to do is drop sand or pebbles into a bottle, fill it with water and put it in the tank. now, for more on how you can become an energy saver, did to wjz.com, scroll down the rebound side of the -- right- hand side of the page and click on our special section. goodbye to irene. last year, hurricane irene caused 49 deaths and $15 billion in damage on the

eastern sea board. including here in maryland. meteorologists are now retiring the name irene from the tropical storm name list. the name will be replaced by irma. storm names are reused every six years, unless they cause considerable casualties or damage. a new report shows the risk of tornadoes is growing. the phrase, tornado alley, was coined 40 years ago, to describe the state at highest risk for twisters. this includes texas, oklahoma, kansas, nebraska. now they are saying it should be expanded to include the midwest and deep south. twisters account for more than half of all catastrophic losses in the u.s. each year. three new york city workers are back on the ground, following a daring high-rise rescue. witnesses say rescue crews pull them to safety through the 17 floor windows. it's not yet known what caused the scaffolding to fall. none of the workers was

injured. a tragic california car crash is inspiring new federal regulations. safety officials want to require brake throttle override systems to prevent runaway cars. this comes after an accident in 2009 that killed a california family of three, when the gas pedal of their lexus became jammed, preventing them from braking. the new proposal would help stop vehicles, even if both accelerator pedal and brake are pushed simultaneously. doctors say a radical new treatment for parkinsons could improve the lives of those suffering from the disease. monica villa miczar reports from london. >> reporter: sheila roy says she can finally enjoy life at her country side in came bring. she's lived with parkinsons disease for 17 years. but a team of scientists developed a treatment that changed her life. >> i can see the person now.

>> she is only one of 15 people to take part in a gene therapy test. it jump starts the chemical dopamine, the chemical patients need to fight parkinsons. without dopamine, people with parkinsons often shake. >> in principle, it should give patients a better efficacy of life. because of their day. >> researchers spent years in this cambridge lab, toasting -- testing the treatment. injecting animals. >> reporter: once they had success, scientists began trying the treatments on a small number of people. doctors say more studies involving hundreds of patients, will be needed to prove the treatment is safe and works long term. >> if you can treat the symptoms and control in some way, the deterioration in what you can do, it has to be better for you. and it is.

>> sheila knows it's not a cure, but says she feels 10 years younger. in cambridge, england, monica villa miczar, wjz eyewitness news. >> other gene therapy experiments are happening here in the u.s. but the british experiment is the first treatment in the world that generates dopamine in the patient's brain. >> all right, vic. don't freak out about this story. a new health warning after a bat somehow flies onto an airplane. the centers for disease control released a report had which happened during a flight from atlanta. five could not be tracked down for rabies testing, afterward, because the flight's travel list was replaced. the report concludes that health officials need to be more prepared to respond to infectious diseases on planes. instead of waking up to room service, these guests wake up to a 6-foot-long gator. the alligator bit one of the guests.

the bite victim suffered teeth wounds but is expected to be okay. not clear how the animal got into the building. check in with eyewitness news at 6:00. for all new stories coming up. commuter caoss. emergency-- chaos. emergency construction. the latest from along that highway. a brazen break-in. the man foundation in the mansion of sean diddy combs. wait until you hear what he was doing. check in for these stories and more at 6:00. a french super hero is sailing skyscrapers. alan robert climbs some of the tallest structures, using only his bare hands and no safety equipment. now, this week, he's climbing the -- all right. this is a french tower, vic. you want to pronounce this, vic? >> the torch dehide hotel? >> yeah. that. he says he's preparing to climb for at least another 10 years. >> wow. >> yeah, he was in the

documentary, "man on a wire ," i believe. would not be me. >> no. still to come on wjz eyewitness news. how the orioles dig down deep on the baseball diamond in tight situations. >> stan gives us insight next in sports. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

orioles are in toronto tonight, as they start a 10- game road trip. stan joins us now with the latest on the change. >> mark reynolds is de-aging. he's the designated hitter in toronto tonight. you see, reynolds has two errors this season, including a very costly one against the yankees. orioles, both in extra innings, to the yankees. and both times, they failed to win at bat. all about players not getting the job done when needed the most. maybe a mental jument might give -- adjustment might give them a different handle. >> if you can stay away from the emotional bats, it's a big part of the game. nobody out. fans are on their feet. if you can take that emotion out, it's been a challenge. you know.

>> you can watch tonight's game on masn and tomorrow afternoon, it's masn on wjz again. see the birds and the jays at 4:00 live. saturday, wjz 13. coming up at 6:00, it's opening day in some ballparks in baseball circles. and we'll check in with the undefeated loyola men's lacrosse team. and a volcano erupts, spewing hot lava and ash. you can see the smoke and ash. aetna is europe's tallest and most active volcano. it erupts often but rarely causes damage. so far, they have not issued any danger warnings for homes or for people. a shooting inside a cracker barrel in ohio, leaves three people dead. police say the gunman was angry because his wife told him she was leaving him. a woman and a young girl were shot and killed. another girl was taken to the hospital. police exchanged gunfire with the suspect before killing him. the gunman is reportedly the husband of the adult female

victim. it's final exam time for college students am but people at the university of pittsburgh are more worried about bomb threats. there have been dozens over the past few weeks. jim axelrod reports. >> being a student at the university of pittsburgh these days, means security checks and midnight evacuations from your dormitory. >> i think most people are just incredibly frustrated. you know, you hear about this. you don't know if you can do your laundry. you don't know if you can sleep the whole night in your dorm. >> reporter: law enforcement says they believe the threats, mostly by e-mails or local media, are the work of a real prankster and not a real terror plot. but the school has no choice but to treat them all the same. >> we take every threat seriously. and this dangerous world in which we're living, we can't know, with any one threat, whether it's real or whether it's a hoax. >> reporter: so with each threat, out come the lis police dogs and search crews, leaving

students frustrated and parents on edge. >> my parents are a little freaked out. i do get calls from my mom that are saying things like, are sure you feel safe? you don't want to come home? they're concerned. but they're also proud of us for sticking it out. >> reporter: one man was arrested before being let go. several other suspects have been questioned but not charged. meanwhile, the threats continue to come each night. and with them, the evacuations. >> if he's willing to disrupt these times now, i mean, finals and graduation will be prime targets in my opinion. >> pit is offering a $50,000 reward for information about the threats. still ahead on eyewitness news. in just a few hours, drivers can expect bottlenecking, gridlock, and a headache on the jfx. i'm weijia jiang, with the latest on details on a construction project you need ti,,,,,,,,,,,,

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guaranteed for two years with a two-year agreement -- plus your special bonus: $250 back. save $600 in your first two years. hurry. this incredible offer ends april 21st. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. or visit us online to save even more. fios. a network ahead. coming up on wjz's eyewitness news. a major mess. construction is about to begin on the jfx. how long will it last? and how you can get around it. the verdict is in. i'm mike hellgren, at the mitchell courthouse. why some say justice was not served, in a hit-and-run case. sacred relics, or tavern decorations? the controversy brewing at a baltimore bar. >> i'm gigi barnett, in fells point. the details are just ahead. summer-like conditions for

the weekend ahead. don't miss the updated first warning weather forecast. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. >> wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. commuter chaos. part of the jfx, closing down. >> tonight, why the construction work needs to be done. and how you can get around it. >> hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> and i'm kai jackson. here's what people are talking about. >> a warning for drivers who use the jones falls expressway, starting tonight, you could run into some major delays. a live look at the jfx, near the 28th street exit, where lanes will soon be shut down to repair drainage pipes. wjz is live on the highway now. weijia jiang has more on the project that gets un